Means for recapturing useful fuel from the exhaust gases of internal-combustion engines



Feb. 5, 1952 BBBBBBB TA ,674

- MEANS FOR RECAPT EFUL FUE HE EXHAUST INVENTOR.

Feb. 5, 1952 B. DA COSTA MEANS FOR RECAPTURING USEFUL FUEL FROM THEEXHAUST GASES OF INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed March 14, 1951 V 2SHEETS-SHEET 2 INVENTOR. 5. 4 60574 Patented Feb. 5, 1952 31f UNITEDSTATES rATEN'r OFFICE MEANS FOR RECAPTURING USEFUL FUEL I FROM THEEXHAUST "GASES F INTER- 1 NAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES 1., Bartholomew DaCosta, sunnyside, N. Y. Application March 14, 1951, Serial No. 215,508

- 3 Claims. '(Cl.123-119) tion engines, particularly those used onautomo-- tive vehicles, and utilizing the refinedgases for reentry intothe intake manifold of the engine for further combustion thereof,thereby substantially increasing the fuel eficiency of the gasoline orother liquid fuel used.

Another object of the invention is the provision of novel and practicalmeans to aid in the return of a substantial portion of the exhaust gasesof the engine into a treatment tank and thence into the intake manifold.

The above as well as additional and more specific objects will beclarified in the following description, wherein characters of referencerefer to like-numbered parts in the accompanying drawings. It is to benoted that the drawings are intended solely for the purpose ofillustration, and that it i neither intended nor desired to limit theinvention necessarily to any or all specific details shown exceptinsofar as they may be deemed essential to the invention.

Referring briefly to the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view, with parts broken away to expose theinterior, of an automotive vehicle equipped with the apparatus of thisinvention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the exhaust tailpipe and the return pipe for a substantial portion of the exhaust gasesinto the treatment tank.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective view, with parts broken away andpartly in section, of the treatment tank or filter, showing also theinlet pipe and the outlet pipe thereof.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral Ill indicates theinternal combustion engine of an automotive vehicle, the intake manifoldof which is shown at l I leading from the carburetor l2. The engineexhaust pipe is shown at 13, leading into the muflier M from which thetail pipe l5 extends rearward.

A return pipe I6 extends approximately parallel with the exhaust pathl3, l4, I5 and leads into the treatment tank or filter H. A filteroutlet pipe l8 leads from the filter into the intake manifold l I of theengine between the carburetor and the engine.

The tail pipe I5 is positioned under the return pipe I6, with the latterextending, substantially as shown, farther rearward. The pipe l6 ter- 2minates in a downwardly extending bai'fle |9'positioned .close to butspaced from the open extremity of the tail pipe. The baflle l9 comprisesa concave rear wall 29, approximately triangular in configuration,having at the sides of the triangle the walls 2| and at the base of thetriangle the wall 22, all of which walls extend at approximately rightangles to the concave wall 20, but it is to be noted that the portionsof the baifie where the walls 2| and 22 meet the wall 20 are all wellrounded. A neck 24 on the end of the pipe It provides for positioningthe baffle as shown, at a small acute angle to the vertical, and thelower end of the neck is of course open as shown at 23. It is thusapparent that exhaust gases being discharged from the tail pipe |5 willimpinge on the slanted concave wall 20 of the baffle and will be guidedby all the walls 2| and 23 in the direction of the opening 23 into thepipe Hi.

The filter |1 comprises a housing having opposed side walls 25 and 26.Spaced horizontal screens 2l--3|, inclusive, are mounted throughout theheight of the housing, between and spaced from both the floor and roof.In the bottom of the housing, below the screen 21, a quantity ofsuitable liquid 32 is provided, such as, for example, a mixture of waterand alcohol. Between the screens 28 and 29, as well as between thescreens 30 and 3|, a filler of suitable porous material, such as, forexample, wood shavings, is mounted.

Between the roof of the housing and the topmost screen 3|, the pipe l8enters the housing and on its inner end is provided with a horizontalwidened or funnel-shaped hood 34.

It is apparent that through the medium of the pipe I8, a suction willconstantly be applied in the pipe l8 by virtue of its connection withthe intake manifold M. This suction will tend to draw from the housingwhatever gases rise therein, and of course for best operation the hood33 is located at the top just under the roof of the housing. Hence, asuction is also provided on the end 35 of the pipe l6 which ispositioned within the housing, preferably just above the level of liquid32. The latter suction together with the pressure of exhaust gases uponleaving the tail pipe IE, will tend to draw exhaust gases through theopen end 23 of the neck 24.

It is evident that a goodly portion of heavier solid particles containedin the exhaust gases entering the filter through the return pipe 16,will fall into the liquid 32 and thus will be trapped. Of such solidparticles which fail to be trapped in the liquid. a large proportionwill be screened out of the gases in the housing by passing successivelythrough the porous fillers 33, so that the gases passing into the intakemanifold ll through the pipe l8 will have been nearly completely freedof solid particles and dust. Moreover, the liquid 32 will absorb some ofthe gas impurities. of, the returninge exhausty.

ases.

As a consequence of the provision of the structure above set forth, agoodly portion of:

the useful fuel energy containedfinflthewusuali exhaust gases of aninternal.combustion engine;

is recaptured and utilized, thus substantiallx enhancing the fuelemcienoy and economy ofthe engine.

Obviously, modifications informer. structures may be made withoutdepartingfromthespirit or scope of the invention.

I claim:

1., .In icombination withan internal combustion.- engine. having ,anintake, manifold and an: ex haust ,pipe, a filter, a: pipe; connecting,the stop. ofesaid, filter withwsaid, manifold, the. exhaust. end of saidexhaust pipe lying substantially hori: zontal,v aareturn pipepositionedrabovc said-ex: haust, pipe and extending in-one directionbeyond the; extremity of. theexhaust ,end of the exhaust pipe,said-return: pipe extending, ;in the-i-other direction; into said,filter "and terminating 5 near return pipe and extending divergentlydownward therefromand the-base of the triangle positioned below-2 the;extremity of the said exhaust pipe, sa-idaconcavmwztll sloping at anacute angle to the vertical in the direction of said exhaust pipe, saidsidesand base of the triangle having walls extendingapproximately atright angles to said concave wall andin the general direction of saidexhaustapipe.

3. The combination set forth in claim 1, said filter;- comprising; an;uprighthousing'havingz a quantitmof liquid y in itheubottom, 5 thereoft. a ,;plug rality; of, vertically; spaced? horizontal, screens isaid;:housing ;above -the levelqofasaid liquid; ,some; of I the;mutually adjacent ,;.pairs-, of, said screens: haying fillers. of 5porous material .therebetweem;

No references felted.-

